Visit to family ends in arrest

He then removed the item and immediately put it in his mouth …

SERGEANT JULIA WHEATON

A ROCKHAMPTON man on his way to visit family in the Toowoomba region found himself a guest of the city watch house after he was arrested over outstanding warrants.

Police had been speaking to Tyron Bruce Sattler at Helidon on April 23 this year when checks revealed he was subject to a warrant that had been issued by Rockhampton Magistrates Court after he failed to appear on December 6 last year, the court was told.

Police prosecutor Julia Wheaton told the court police had been alerted to the 32year-old after noticing a motorbike parked near a toilet block, with checks on the vehicle revealing Sattler was unlicensed to ride the vehicle and learner plates were not on display.

After his arrest, Sattler was taken to Toowoomba watch house, where a search uncovered a butterfly knife in his possession.

“At this time police had formed a suspicion that he may have concealed a prohibited item in his person,” Sergeant Wheaton said.

“(Sattler) was told he would be strip searched, and police observed what appeared to be a clip seal bag which was secreted in his anal area. He was directed to remove the item, he has then removed the item and immediately put it in his mouth and swallowed it.”

In Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Wednesday, Sattler pleaded guilty to a number of charges, including obstructing police, unlawful possession of a weapon, driving without a licence and failing to appear in accordance with an undertaking, as well as an unrelated charge of contravening an order about information necessary to access information stored electronically.

Sattler’s solicitor Andrew Owens told the court his client was travelling from Brisbane, where his three-month-old son had just undergone a medical procedure, to Toowoomba and Oakey to visit his father and grandfather, who both had received grave medical news.

Mr Owens said Sattler mistakenly believed his missed court date had been adjourned to another time, and he was under considerable stress at the time.

The court was told Sattler had struggled for the past eight years with drug addiction but was currently employed.

Magistrate Kay Philipson jailed Sattler for seven months, with an immediate parole release. Convictions were recorded.